1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar image forming apparatus and more particularly to the body member of a powder container for storing toner or similar powder for used in the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is a common practice with an image forming apparatus to use two-component type developer, i.e., a toner and carrier mixture for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier. The toner of the developer is consumed by repeated image formation, so that fresh toner must be replenished to a developing device in accordance with the consumption, as needed. For the replenishment of fresh toner, use is made of a toner bottle, toner cartridge or similar toner container storing fresh toner.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2001-31585, 2001-324863 and 2002-72649, for example, each disclose a particular toner container including a bag-like toner storing body formed with an opening at one end. A mouth member or toner outlet member is affixed to the opening of the toner storing body for delivering toner stored in the toner storing body. The outlet of the toner outlet member is provided with a self-closing valve implemented by a seal member, which is formed of sponge or similar elastic material and formed with a cruciform slit at the center. The toner container can be set at the mount portion of an image forming apparatus only if dropped toward the mount portion from the above. When the toner container is so dropped, a nozzle is inserted into the slit of the seal member for thereby opening the slit. When the toner container is removed from the mount portion, the slit is automatically closed due to the elasticity of the seal member.
However, the restoring force of the elastic seal member is apt to decrease due to, e.g., the hardening of the seal member or creep deformation ascribable to aging. When the restoring force decreases, it is likely that toner leaks and is scattered around during the interval between the time when the toner container is removed from the mount portion and the time when the slit of the seal member closes.
On the other hand, it is desirable from the resource saving standpoint to recycle the constituent parts of the toner container without discarding them. The problem with the conventional toner container is that the elastic seal member is affixed to the body portion of the mouth member by adhesive. Therefore, to recycle the constituent parts of the toner container, it is necessary to remove the seal member from the mouth member by troublesome operation. This is also true with any other powder container storing powder other than toner.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2000-356898, 2001-305843 and 2002-302169.